Homepage Slideshow

I met these three amigos while wandering the streets of Lisbon. I'd seen them asking passers by for a cigarettes earlier in the day, so I figured they might appreciate an entire pack from me. After a bear hug of thanks, they sat and struck this pose for me. Each time I saw them after that, they would yell and wave as I passed. It always amazes me what a little good will can do for others.

A small church yearns for God's fingers on the cliffs of Santorini, Greece. The sun broke through the clouds on this January afternoon after a light storm. The island volcano off the coast of Santorini sits just beyond the cliffside church.

On my maiden wander with my "new" old Mamiya 645 medium format film camera, this gentleman watched as I fumbled my way through a re-load of film. After a moment, I asked if I could take his photograph. He leaned against the railing and struck this pose, seeming as though it wasn't his first time in front of the lens. I love all the great characters I meet wandering around Prague.

I love trains and cathedrals. While searching for an interesting view of the cathedral in Brno, Czech Republic, I happened to look up and see this classic old Czech train leaving the station. What better combination?

While driving through Connemara in Western Ireland not far from where The Quiet Man with John Wayne was filmed, I noticed a weekend farmers market of sorts. The gentleman in the photograph was almost what I expected the real Sean Thornton was like. He was instantly engaging and was most interested in what the Yanks thought about "his" part of Ireland, which he said Americans rarely visited.

When I saw the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus train recently in my hometown, I thought about how many times I and other young kids dream about joining the circus. That and my love of trains compelled me to take this photo. What two things inspire the dreams of travel and excitement more than the circus and a train? Not many!

I met these men and their co-workers while they dismantled a small building in -20 F temperatures. After introducing myself and asking if I could take their photograph, they insisted I go inside with them to share snacks and the intensely warming, clear liquid that USED to fill the bottle on the table. After sharing a bottle and the accompanying stories, this new friend who had just been on a roof in sub-zero, windy conditions, pulled out his battered guitar and began singing old Soviet folk songs. It was one of the many times I've been blessed to experience when vodka and song revealed the common humanity in us all and led to enduring friendships.

I met this friendly gentleman at the Kolbenova Flea Market in Prague. It was the last day of the flea market in that location, and one could feel a sense of disappointment among the sellers. It felt like an era coming to its end, the approach of what some knew was inevitable, but had chosen to ignore.

I met Oleg while he was atop an old building in -20 F temperatures, disassembling the roof for scrap. After I'd been invited into their warm-up shed, another of my new friends informed me that Oleg was a poet. Oleg then started reciting Pushkin and Lermentov poems for us. After the others urged him on, he started reciting some of his own original poetry. It was an incredible experience to see both sides of such a man. The poster on the wall is of the President of Kazakhstan, of whom all present were extremely proud to call their leader.

I met this auto mechanic outside his shop in Astana, Kazakhstan one day when the temperature was about -20 F. We talked about the old Lada he was working on, which he assured me would be back up and running in no time.

I noticed this woman and her grandson filling up water containers at a well outside Astana, Kazakhstan. The tap on the well ran constantly, and it literally sat on top of a mound of ice. As I approached to talk to her, I had a hard time climbing up the slick slope. She reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me up to her with the strength of a bodybuilder. She looked frail, but had the strength of a 25 year old man!

While searching for early morning photo subjects in Santorini, Greece, I stopped in for a quick cup of coffee to go. These two locals were enjoying their morning coffee and smoke, and I couldn't resist asking if I can photograph them. A serendipitous stop!